Burning desire helped us collar arson suspect, claim Danish cops

'DNA' evidence used to track suspect on trial this week

A Danish man being tried for arson offences might have not have been nabbed by cops if he hadn’t stopped for a five-knuckle shuffle in public, a police spokesman told a local TV crew.

The unnamed 41-year-old suspect was arrested in February and charged with 14 counts of fire-starting in Odense, the third largest city in the country and home to the museum of Hans Christian Andersen.

He is alleged to have climbed onto the terrace of a house before cracking one off, a nasty happening which cops say spotted by an eagle-eyed neighbour. This occurred on the same day two fires were found in the locale, reported TV2.

The boys in light blue said they'd found "DNA evidence" on one of the outside chairs and this was used to identify and track down the man.

A police spokesman Henrik Justesen told the state-owned TV station his colleagues were confident they’d found their man because the arson incidents stopped after he was cuffed.

He said the man was “without much social contact”. Well, quite.

At the trial being heard this week, lawyers acting on behalf of the cops said the arsons that took place in 2015 and 2016 had resulted in at least 25 million kroner (£2.85m) worth of damages, The Local reported. ®